DORSET Police overspent almost £3.5 million on pay and overtime – and the force is struggling to keep pace with a rising crime rate despite having extra officers.

Chief Constable James Vaughan said despite strict controls he is likely to also exceed budget limits again this year.

There has also been an increase in the number of police officers signed off from work, with a 40 per cent increase in those reporting mental health problems, especially stress and anxiety.

Chief Constable Vaughan says that mutual support agreements with other forces also pile the pressure on. Earlier this year, 150 officers were committed to the Salisbury poisoning and an undisclosed number will be sent to London to help police President Trump’s visits.

Major incidents, including the murder of businessman Guy Hedger, also led to a spike in demand for staff which could only be dealt with by overtime.

In addition, the longer England progress in the World Cup, the more risk of public disorder the force is likely to have to face, the top officer said.

“It could be a long, hot summer,” he told the county’s Police and Crime Panel in Dorchester on Tuesday.

Despite the pressure, the force is still rated ‘good’ in inspection reports and rates highly for public confidence, and Chief Constable Vaughan said Dorset remains one of the safest place to live.

But ongoing problems were acknowledged during the meeting. Dorset Police now has 500 fewer staff than it had in 2010. Typically, police in the county deal with 500 incidents each day.

There are 1,249 officers for Dorset - above the 1,200 budget figure. Officers are increasingly deciding to stay on rather than retire, and the force continues to recruit.

However, many of the new officers won't be visible for members of the public as they deal with issues including child protection, computer crime and anti-terrorism.